Material handling box



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 8, .954

JNVENTOR. Richard C. J0hn80n ATTORNEY Sept. 11, 1956 R. c. JOHNSON MATERIAL HANDLING BOX 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 8, 1954 JNVENTOR. Richard C. Johnson ATTO NEY MATE I :l- BOX Application October 8, 1954, Serial No. 461,263 8 Claims. (Cl. 222-162) This invention relates to a material handling box and more particularly to a material handling box and stand combination particularly useful in supplying a large number of items for convenient access as, for example, adjacent an assembly line.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a material handling box and stand combination having interdependent structural features acting to automatically open the material handling box at such time as it is positioned on the stand of the combination.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a material handling box and stand combination incorporating a simplified material handling box and a simplified stand, the box being adapted to be positioned on, received and retained by the stand and automatically actuated thereby to deliver material in the box to a portion of the stand.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a material handling box and stand to facilitate the supplying of small articles by providing a box and stand combination adapted to supply the articles in a position for ready access.

A still further object of the invention is the formation of a material handling box which will facilitate the renewal of supplies of small articles by providing a readily transportable box in which the articles may be placed and after which the box may be transported to the position where the articles are to be used and thereafter automatically open when the box is positioned on the stand so that the articles slide downwardly therefrom into a position providing ready access thereto.

The material handling box and stand combination disclosed herein comprises an improvement in the art in that a novel yet simple form of material handling box and stand for receiving the same is disclosed, the box having an end wall formed with a vertically movable panel and the stand having a shallow hopper thereon and means for supporting the box in proximity to said hopper so that the box will be inclined and the movable panel in the end wall of the box will be elevated and thereby enabling the contents of the box to be discharged into the hopper.

The material handling box disclosed herein is of the type handled by fork lift trucks and is thus readily portable and convenient in use as a supply of parts to be used may be positioned in the box and the same transported to a remote location and simply and easily positioned on the stand where the front panel of the box will be automatically opened and the box inclined to deliver the contents to the hopper on the stand.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being the intention to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosure, which do not con- 2,762,529 Patented Sept. 11, 1956 stitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the material handling box and stand.

Figure 2 is a side view of the material handling box and stand showing the box in elevated relation.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross sectional elevation of a portion of the box and stand shown in Figure l of the drawings.

Figure 4 is a side view of the material handling box and stand showing the box in nesting position on said stand.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail with parts in cross section of portions of the box and stand shown in Figure 4 of the drawings.

By referring to the drawings and Figure 1 in particular it will be seen that the material handling box and stand comprises a box 10 having fixed side and back walls and a fixed bottom 11 therein. The front corners of the box it :are fitted with inturned vertically extending channels 12-12 which define oppositely disposed spaced parallel passageways for edge engagement with a vertical panel 13 slidably mounted therein. The vertical panel 13 is shown in Figure 1 of the drawings in elevated position in the channels 12-12 as it is provided with a forwardly extending flange 14 which registers on a transverse angle 15 of the stand structure.

The stand structure comprises a plurality of uprights 16 having transverse frame members 17-17 joining the same together and a pair of spaced longitudinally extending inturned angle frame members 18-18 which form track means for receiving and retaining the material handling box 11 as in storage position. The box 10 is insertable into the angle frame members 18-18 from the rear of the stand, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawmgs.

The foremost portion of the stand supports a shallow hopper including a bottom portion 19, an inclined rear wall 20, an oppositely inclined front wall 21 and vertically standing sides 22-22. The upper ends of the vertical standing sides 22-22 are outwardly flared as at 23-23 and brackets 24-24 secured to the inner surfaces thereof support the transverse angle 15.

The shallow hopper thus defined is positioned on the stand so that it extends partially forwardly thereof and its rear portion is supported on longitudinal angle frame members 18A. The rearmost uprights16-16 extend upwardly above the top of the side walls 22-22 of the shallow hopper and are provided with horizontally disposed U-shaped leg receiving brackets 25-25 near their uppermost ends so that offset legs 26-26 on the rear corners of the box ltl may nest therein while the front edge of the box is supported on the uppermost edge 27 of therearwardly inclined wall 20 of the shallow hopper.

By referring now to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, it will be seen that the front corners of the box 10 are provided with offset legs 26A which are spaced inwardly of thevertical sides 22-22 of the shallow hopper. when the box is lowered into position therebetween. j

It will also be seen that the box 10 has a partial front wall 10A which extends from the upper edge thereof downwardly approximately half way and terminates on a transverse line to define the upper edge of the access opening in the front wall of the material handling box 10.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, the vertical panel 13 is in lower position the channels 12-12 thereby forming a closure with respect to the access opening just referred to. In such position, the material handling box will suitably contain various articles positioned therein and thus permit: the box and the articles to be moved conveniently as by a fork lift truck, not shown.

7 When the box is positioned on the stand structure, the rear offset legs 26 are aligned with the leg receiving brackets 25, the fork lift truck lowered to position the legs 26 in the leg receiving brackets and to permit the box to tilt forwardly so that the flange 14 on the vertical panel 13 engages the transverse angle 15 on the hopper portion of the stand and thereby causing the same to be elevated as the box assumes the position shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings.

By referring now to Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings it will be seen that the vertically standing side walls 22-22 of the hopper portion of the stand engage the opposite outer side walls of the box thereby securely positioning it with respect to the stand structure. The forward edge of the bottom 11 is curved into a downturned flange 28 which registers over the rolled or reinforced edge 27 of the inclined rear wall of the hopper H and the vertical panel 13 is elevated thereby permitting the contents of th box 10 to be continuously discharged into the shallow hopper in the manner of a magazine.

Those skilled in the art will observe that such material as nuts, bolts, small metal stampings, etc., may be transported and thereafter displayed for ready access by the improved material handling box and stand disclosed herein. Articles of this nature will readily slide down the bottom 11 of the inclined box 10 and flow out into the shallow hopper. The sides 2222 and the front wall 21 of the hopper will prevent the articles from spilling over.

When the articles are removed from the hopper and the level of articles therein falls below a predetermined point, additional articles will slide along the bottom 11 of the inclined box and thereby maintain a constant supply of articles in the hopper. When the supply of articles in the box 10 has been exhausted, the fork lift truck is brought into position adjacent the rear of the box and the fork thereof moved upwardly against the under side of the bottom 11 and elevated, thereby lifting the box 10 from the stand and simultaneously closing the vertical panel 13.

As the fork of the fork lift truck is lifted, the box will be lifted completely free of the supporting stand and it will by that time have assumed horizontal position in full engagement with the forks of the fork lift truck and thereby be in a suitable position for transportation to a point of refilling. Alternatively, it may be set down and a filled box comprising a new supply, preferably positioned in the lower part of the stand, may be removed, elevated and positioned in inclined engagement with the hopper to furnish a continuing supply of the articles.

It will thus be seen that the several objects of the invention are met by the material handling box disclosed herein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination a supporting stand having a shallow hopper with bottom, front, back and side walls, a structural member positioned across the top of the shallow hopper and supported on said side walls and a fixed bottom box removably supported on said stand, a front Wall of said box having an opening therein and a slidable closure mounted on said box normally registering with said opening, means on said closure engaging said structural member when said box is positioned on said stand adjacent said structural member acting to move said closure away from said opening and position said box with respect to said shallow hopper.

2. The combination supporting stand and box set forth in claim 1 and wherein the means on said closure engaging said structural member comprises a projecting flange.

3. The combination supporting stand and box set forth in claim 1 and wherein the lower front edge of said box is downwardly flanged and hooks over the upper edge of said back wall of said hopper.

4. The combination supporting stand and box set forth in claim 1 and wherein the uppermost portions of said side walls of said hopper on said stand are outturned to form guides for the reception of said box.

5. The combination supporting stand and box set forth in claim 1 and wherein the slidable closure member is mounted on the exterior of said box.

6. The combination supporting stand and box set forth in claim 1' and wherein oppositely disposed cross sectionally U-shaped channels are mounted on the exterior front corners of said box and define the sides of said opening and wherein the slidable closure comprises a panel movable vertically in said channels.

7. In combination, a supporting stand including a forwardly projecting hopper with bottom, front, side and back walls, a self-centered portable material handling box having a fixed bottom removably supported on said stand and including a normally closed front wall closure movably supported on said box for sliding movement toward and away from the fixed bottom of said box, and elevated means on said stand for supporting the back of said box on said stand above the plane of the bottom of said hopper to permit material within said box to slide along said fixed bottom when the lower edge of said front wall of said box is engaged on said hopper and toward and into said hopper, and means on said hopper above said bottom thereof engaging said front wall closure on said box to open said front wall closure when said box is positioned on said supporting stand.

8. In combination, a supporting stand having a shallow hopper thereon and a structural member positioned above said shallow hopper, a fixed bottom box removably supported on said stand, a front wall of said box having an opening therein, and a movable closure mounted on said box normally closing said opening, projecting means on said movable closure engaging said structural member when said box is positioned on said stand above said hopper and against said structural member and lowered to engage said hopper whereby said closure is opened.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 435,465 Taylor Sept. 2, 1890 579,252 Besson Mar. 23, 1897 1,097,355 Owen May 19, 1914 1,986,864 Tolley Jan. 8, 1935 2,104,930 Maclntosh Ian. 11, 1938 2,681,746 7 Hawkins et a1. June 22, 1954 2,690,277 Shea et al. Sept. 28, 1954 

